The field hospital is expected to officially become operational in April 2018.

At a working session with Deputy Defence Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh in Ho Chi Minh City on February 22, Major Bui Duc Thanh, Director of Field Hospital No. 1, said his infirmary was set up in July 2015 with 69 staff members.

Since then, training in specialised knowledge, military understanding, and foreign language skills has been provided and will be enhanced in the time ahead.

The staff has also practiced at different departments of Military Hospital 175 to improve their capacity, he added.

Sen. Lt. Gen. Vinh asked for personnel training and equipment preparation to be accelerated to send the field hospital to South Sudan on schedule. He also requested the hospital be immediately ready for emergencies in Vietnam.

Its staff members should also visit field hospitals of experienced countries like Japan and the UK to get acquainted with the real situation and learn from their expertise, he noted.

Keeping peace is also a combat mission, and difficulties and sacrifice are inevitable. The effectiveness and quality of this force's activities must be ensured as it is the honour and the prestige of Vietnam, including its army, at the UN, Vinh stressed.

Vietnam officially joined UN peacekeeping operations in 2014. In two years, 12 officers were deployed for the UN missions in South Sudan and the Central African Republic.